Main menu

It can happen to anyone, however good you are budgeting. You are getting close to payday and, suddenly, out of the blue, the car breaks down, the heating packs up, or you faced with another type of emergency expense that you just weren’t expecting.

The traditional way for people to deal with this situation was to look through the newspaper or phone directory to find the nearest loan company that would provide a short-term, small loan, but searching for the nearest local loan company severely restricts your choices and it often means that you will need to stand in line at a local loan store, which can be very embarrassing.

Fortunately, the internet has made finding loan providers much easier, but it can be very time-consuming and frustrating making inquiries at lots of different web sites and you also need to be aware that every enquiry you make could trigger a credit check, which could adversely affect your credit rating.

There are, however, free services available on the internet that many people are not aware of that make the search for a loan Company much easier.

These websites partner with a network of lenders, so they give you more choice than just going direct to a single loan company. You just simply complete an online application form with a few details about your earnings and employment and then the system will try to match your requirements with one or more of their lenders.

Leaders in these networks may do credit checks, but they don’t usually use the big credit agencies, so the check won’t affect your credit rating. They are usually a lot more flexible than the major banks are about things like lending to people who have less than perfect credit ratings.

Of course, as with all credit arrangements, you need to make sure that you read the terms and conditions properly and that you fully understand when the loan needs to be repaid and how much interest and charges will be levied, but you do get the opportunity to do that before you agree to accept the loan.

You also need to be aware that short-term loans, or payday loans as they are sometimes called, are only meant to be used to tide you over to your next pay-check. If you try to use them for long-term finance, or you keep rolling them over, they can get very expensive.

So, if you do need cash fast for an emergency bill, don’t panic, take your time, and look around for the best deal. You don’t have to go running straight to the nearest loan shop in your town, you can do a bit of research for free on the internet, in the privacy of your own home.

So long as you use them for the purpose they are intended, and you pay them back on time, short-term small loans are and affordable way to see you through a cash crisis. Just be sure to read the terms and conditions of any loan before you take it out.

We all want our marketing dollars to stretch as far as they can. One way to ensure that your dollars are taking your company as far as they should go is to have your brand tell the right story in the right way. It is important to think of marketing as someone in the corner raising their hand to get attention. If you aren’t intrigued by what you see, if you aren’t interested in figuring out what the story is, then your marketing and advertising can quickly be ignored and even more quickly add up to a cost that is not sustainable. Most marketing is an interruption, plain and simple. Whether it’s the ads you see scattered around the internet, streets, windows, and seemingly everywhere these days, the stuff that works is the stuff that grips you, makes you stop, and makes you curious.

Appeal to Your Customers
The first step in telling your story is to meet your customers where they are. No one is going to listen to your story if they can’t hear you. You need amplification to get your message out there and keep it out there.

Be Genuine
Developing a brand that really represents the high caliber services and products that your company provides is key to attracting the kind of loyal customers you want. You need to show them exactly what they can expect from you from the first moment they encounter your brand.

Create a Connection
Life is about the connections we make. If you can successfully connect with your customer base, then they are more likely to become your customers, return as customers, and spread the word about your brand to their connections.

You need a way to stay in your customers’ minds so that when they need your products or services, your brand is the first one they think of. Using promotional products can help your brand be remembered long after you make an initial connection with your customer base.

And Repeat
The stories that stick with us are those that we hear all the time. The best way to get the story of your brand remembered is to tell it over and over.

One of the easiest ways to accomplish that is with promotional products that appeal to your customers. Giving potential customers something they will use every day is the smart way to keep your brand repeating in their mind.

Ready to choose the right promotional product to tell your brand’s story?

Often people are shocked when they hear that I love to travel alone. Some state that they would be afraid to do this while others imply that they just don’t think they would enjoy the trip without having people accompany them.

Well, there are several advantages to going solo:

1. Planning is much easier. You just think about where you would like to visit and start researching your options. You can open an email with flight offers and book whatever grabs your attention at the time without having to consult or compromise.
2. Travelling is more flexible. If you miss a plane or decide to get sidetracked you can coordinate things based on one schedule only – your own. You don’t have to worry about anxiety or commitments of others in your party. In fact, you could even choose to give up your seat on an overbooked flight and receive hundreds of dollars from the airline for doing so.
3. Opportunities abound. It is a lot easier to purchase one ticket to a popular event that two. Several times I have impulsively arrived at a box office and found that the concert was sold out – except for one great ticket – MINE! Would you believe twenty-third row center for Natalie Cole in Seattle?
4. Relationships develop. Frequently I am invited to join interesting people at their table for a meal when they realize that I am on my own. I have made amazing friendships and enjoyed great conversations on trips that wouldn’t have occurred if I had been with other people.
5. Culture can be experienced first-hand. There is always time to visit with hotel or restaurant staff, discover local adventures or learn about the language and customs from a shop keeper because no one is waiting for you or wanting to do something else.
6. Plans can be altered. You can sleep in, order lunch in mid-afternoon or take an impulsive detour without upsetting anyone else’s itinerary.
7. You set the pace. I have learned to walk slowly and rest often – a situation that does not match that of many other people. Last month, in Ronks, Pennsylvania, for example, I chose to take advantage of an outdoor Amish-made rocking chair so I could just rock and people-watch for two hours. I loved it but know that not everyone would have felt the same way!
8. You spend less money. At least I do because I know that I am the one who will have to haul my luggage around from place to place. And I don’t want to pay an extra transportation fee if it weighs in att over fifty pounds.
9. I also eat better when I am alone because I am not in restaurants three times a day trying to finish everything on the plate. In fact, I eat only one restaurant meal a day, ask for a take-out container and then supplement my left-overs with fruit, vegetables or snacks that I have purchased throughout the day.
10. Finally, and with tongue in cheek I enjoy the fact that there isn’t anyone to correct my stories!

You don’t have to be afraid to travel on your own if you are wise. Just use your common sense, ask hotel personnel for advice about safe areas and keep your eyes open. With just a little practice, you will find that travelling on your own can be a wonderful experience!

The present-day mining industry provides large-scale possibilities for the latest automotive and connective technologies to be tested out.

It goes without saying that the process of recovering the planet’s natural resources is hard. Apart from being difficult, it can be environmentally damaging. In these circumstances human safety is of top priority. It is provided by such IT revolutionary systems as: ‘extreme Wi-Fi’ that is able to cover vast deserts; autonomous vehicles that deal with extracting vital minerals and rocks without the need for operator action; smart communications that warn employees if they get close to gigantic machines and much more. The experts in the field believe that the potential of these systems will help to achieve the ambitious goal of the fully autonomous mining site, where the actual presence of humans is not required.

Smart mining premises

All the leading manufacturers of mining machinery are currently developing the best autonomous practices to increase efficiency and productivity, reduce cost, and lower emissions without sacrifice of safety. By using connectivity and valuable data analytics they develop the optimal dig patterns at the coalface and enable the vehicles of exact autonomous routing. Mining has become the mutual combination of big industry, big data and big money.

The underground IoT provider

One of the most ingenious contributions to smart mines so far is the Smart Rockbolt. Basically, this is the device that creates an underground Internet of Things. The global mining industry uses 100 million of bolts every year. These tools are used to prop up walls and ceilings during dynamiting. The concern is that they are rather susceptible. Being damaged, they lose their load bearing capability. As a result, there is the risk of deadly collapsed tunnels and cavities.

The innovative Smart Rockbolt was designed at Lulea University of Technology in Sweden and has an impressive list of virtues. It is equipped with sensors that measure vibrations and strain. When linked to 4G or Wi-Fi it empowers a mesh network with the might of a 24/7 safety monitoring system. What is more, a single non-rechargeable battery cell is able to run for years.

The art of geofencing

Geofencing technology serves to keep workers away from dangerous equipment. It is integrated with various microclimate monitoring systems, which benefit from sensors that measure humidity, temperature, sound and gas levels in the area. In case of any problems mining workers and engineers receive the corresponding text messages on their phones. Employees can get warnings not to enter an area because the air quality is not satisfactory or because there is heavy machinery working. A worker also can send an alert to the control center when they are in need of assistance. Another important value of the technology is that it can give real-time feedback on the physical condition of workers (e.g. blood pressure, heart rate, etc.) by means of special wearable devices.

The ultra-reliable Wi-Fi

To guarantee successful remote operation, the connectivity should be just flawless. But in case of the open mines somewhere in high mountain ranges the task demands a lot of effort. Sometimes, the environmental conditions are so tough, that for electronics it’s like going to Mars. But there is such advanced networking equipment with ruggedised routers that allow remote mining and construction workers to take advantage of the so-called ‘extreme Wi-Fi’ everywhere they go.

The need for 5G

Providing reliable connectivity that is flexible and durable enough for underground mining operations is quite a challenge. To arrange the work of autonomous mining machinery on a regular basis, the connectivity should be of no less than the 5G standard. Telecommunications equipment companies have already launched the projects that aim at investigating how to remotely control monster-like vehicles. For this reason, distributed radio networks with carefully arranged antennas are being set up in the mines to deal with the long underground tunnels and rough walls.

Mine of the future

Autonomous haulage around the mine is not a dream, but the reality that is tested nowadays at the Pilbara iron ore mine in Western Australia. The concept under the big name ‘Mine of the future’ is being realized with the help of 69 partially autonomous trucks. Other outstanding plans include automated drilling and even a fully autonomous long distance railway to get the ore to market.

In the near future a fully remote control over dump trucks is planned to be ensured through an electric steering module, installed between the steering wheel and valve. Moreover, the trucks will use data from the on-board sensors, as well as digital maps that will help to navigate around a mine and identify an exact location for dumping.

Great Expectations

Alongside big behemoths in the form of haul trucks, there are smaller versions of transportation trucks in the form of tippers that are also used for bulk cargo haulage around a mining site. Autonomous transport solutions for construction sphere have become one of the prime concerns for Swedish automotive manufacturers. Thus, Scania tippers represent the company’s ongoing commitment to profitability and sustainability. As an initial result, two collaborating construction vehicles from Scania have already demonstrated its self-driving abilities. A distinctive feature of the project is that its final goal is not to take away the need for human intervention but to make the driver to be a key player in proficient autonomous transporting and dumping solutions.